BRISBANE Lions coach Justin Leppitsch has implored Queensland fans to stay loyal to their teams, while admitting Saturday's QClash is a difficult sell.

Not only are the Lions and Gold Coast both winless after four rounds, but rain has set in to southeast Queensland and is expected to continue until game day.

With skills letting down both teams in the opening month, this is almost sure to affect the spectacle.

Leppitsch said having the two Queensland teams propping up the ladder made it difficult to sell the game, particularly as both outfits had been decimated by injuries.

The Lions are without Pearce Hanley (hip) and Daniel Merrett (hamstring) among others, while the Suns are missing captain Gary Ablett (shoulder), Jaeger O'Meara (knee), David Swallow (knee) and Nick Malceski (knee).

"One thing fans have to be now is loyal to the teams and the game because we all have tough times in life, but we have to stick fat through tough times, that's the facts of life," Leppitsch said.

"You enjoy the good times, as happened to the Bears in the early '90s, got to enjoy it in the early 2000s. That's the reality of the cycle."

Leppitsch said he expected more from his senior players against the Suns after admitting they were poor in Sunday's 53-point loss against West Coast.

While Tom Rockliff, Allen Christensen, Jack Redden and Dayne Zorko all battled, Tom Cutler, Nick Robertson and Mitch Golby were among the best after being included that week.

"Credit to the guys that came in … but when your best players play well and those guys can play a role is when I think the team will be going well," Leppitsch said.

"Let's hope our better players, who had a downer last week, let's be honest, lift in that area."

Leppitsch said captain Rockliff would revert to his usual midfield role after spending a majority of his time in the forward line last week following his recovery from broken ribs and a punctured lung.